Canadian Forces

III

Recruitment and Training

The CF does not use conscription (forced military service—the draft); instead, everyone in the CF enrolls voluntarily. Recruitment offices across the country help persuade Canadians to consider a career in the military. Recruiters visit high schools, colleges, and job fairs to educate young people about opportunities in the CF. Recruitment offices also advertise on television and the radio to reach a broader audience. Most recruits join the CF after they graduate from high school or college, but an increasing number of people are now enlisting in their late 20s and 30s, and even in their 40s.

Those interested in joining the CF must complete an application, take an aptitude test, and undergo a physical fitness examination and an interview. Recruitment personnel use the results from the application process to determine whether an applicant qualifies to serve in the CF. Later, the results are used to identify military specialties that best suit the applicant’s aptitude, education and experience. All successful applicants go to basic training camp at the Canadian Force Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean, Québec. After completing basic training, enlistees train in their specialties—that is, the function they will perform in combat or in support of combat. Specialized training may also include language training. The CF operates in both of Canada’s official languages, English and French. Designated units use French as their daily working language, and many other units are officially bilingual.

Enlistees are generally obligated to serve for a predetermined period of time, called an initial engagement. Initial engagements may vary in length depending on the assignment, but they average about four years. Soldiers who perform satisfactorily during their initial engagement have the option of extending their service.

Officers in the CF must have a college education and the ability to speak both English and French fluently. High school graduates interested in becoming CF officers may choose to apply for the Regular Officer Training Program (ROTP). In the ROTP young Canadians obtain a bachelor’s degree while training for a career as a military officer. Candidates selected for this program attend the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, during the school year and spend summers in military training. Some ROTP participants attend civilian colleges instead of the Royal Military College. The ROTP covers the cost of tuition, books, uniforms, and all other essential fees. In exchange, participants are expected to serve five years in the CF after they receive their degree.

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IV

Land Force Command

As the Land Force Command component of the CF, the Canadian army is responsible for land combat and for physically protecting people and land-based resources. It is the component of the CF most often called on to support international military operations and peacekeeping missions and to maintain order in times of civil unrest.

A

Organization

The 20,900 personnel who comprise the army’s regular force are organized into four geographically based areas. Land Force Atlantic includes the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Land Force Western Area includes the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Land Force Central is composed of the province of Ontario, and the province of Québec makes up Land Force Québec. The members of each land force are further divided into brigades. Brigades include armored regiments specializing in tank operations, infantry battalions trained to fight on foot, artillery regiments that operate heavy firepower weapons, and an air defense battery equipped with antiaircraft weapons capable of intercepting enemy jets and helicopters. Each brigade also includes an engineer regiment, whose members support the other combat units by designing and building roads, bridges, and other wartime transportation systems.

The Canadian Army Reserve Force numbers another 20,000 people. Army reservists train to reinforce the regular force and to perform active duty during wars and selected peacetime operations. The Canadian Rangers, a subgroup of the Canadian Army Reserve, represent the CF in rural or isolated areas of Canada. Rangers act as guides for regular services personnel in the area and participate in part-time training operations.

B

Equipment

Armored regiments are equipped with one squadron of German-built Leopard C-1 battle tanks and two squadrons of Cougar six-wheeled armored vehicles. The battle tanks carry guns that shoot explosive shells at distant targets. Foot soldiers travel in armored personnel carriers, such as the Grizzly and the Light-Armored Vehicle (LAV), which can carry up to 11 soldiers.

Artillery regiments operate self-propelled howitzer guns. The army deploys a battery of high-power antitank weapons, from land mines to guided missiles. Small arms include the C-7 variant of the American M-16 assault rifle, several varieties of Belgian light machine guns, and the Browning .50-caliber vehicle-mounted machine guns.

V

Maritime Command

As the Maritime Command component of the CF, the Canadian navy is responsible for ensuring that the oceans within Canada’s jurisdiction are free from enemy interference. The navy coordinates search and rescue operations with the air force and works with other governmental agencies to protect Canada’s maritime resources by enforcing laws and environmental regulations. The navy also lends ships and personnel to NATO in times of peace and war and supports other international initiatives promoting global peace and stability.